Cinderella Had It Good
by babe7878
Summary: PRNS Tori is 'Diner Girl' and she talks to 'Broken Soul' all the time, they decide to meet but certain people get in the way. What happens when he turns out to be someone she wasn't expecting? Things are better than she thought... {COMPLETE} again
1. The Life and Times

_Disclaimer: Don't own them, didn't create them_

Summary: Modern Cinderella, Tori's life is harder than most at school, she has to deal with living on her own and working at a dirty diner. The people in the diner are nice but she still has to deal with her best friend and her other friend leaving their group to be popular.

**The Life and Times**

Tori Hanson wasn't your average girl. She was about to graduate high school and head off to college but first she had to get an acceptance that would pay for her schooling. She had no money, it disappeared along with her mom and dad and she was left with the small house. Her job consisted of waiting on tables at a diner owned by a cruel and unkind lady. But she made her fun surfing the waves of California's beach in Blue Bay Harbour.

Although the owner was cruel, the workers were as nice as they came. Rhonda, the head waitress knew all about Tori's sorrows and understood because she had gone through them to at her age. The chef, Mario, was the kindest guy you'd ever meet in a diner, he always had a smile on his face and never said anything that he regretted. There were a few other nice waitresses: Mandy and Fiona.

Tori's best friend was Dustin Brookes. He was the nice guy who usually had no clue about anything, anything except motocross. He knew everything about Tori, they were friends since they were four and surprisingly, never fell for each other. His eyes always offered comfort to Tori and she was usually there for him when he needed her.

Shane Clarke used to be a friend of theirs until he joined the 'popular' group of people. He would talk to them still but only when his clique was not around, he didn't want to lose his cool guy status. He was the skater of the group, almost always late for everything and hardly paid attention to anything except what was cool and who was cool, like his new girlfriend, Molly Barker.

Popular meant, jocks or cheerleaders and usually it was a couple consisting of each. Kate Martin and Blake Bradley were the second in command. If their leader were ever gone, they would be left in charge. Blake was a motocross rider, pretty good too but Dustin could beat him any day of he wanted.

The leader often felt like he didn't belong, no one understood but no one cared, as long as he was still popular, that was all that anyone ever cared about. Tori grew quite fond of the young man, best motocross rider of the whole town and probably the best in the state. With his girlfriend, the head cheerleader Melanie Brown, Hunter Bradley was the perfect guy to crush on.

Tori and Dustin carpooled to school everyday, taking turns in each others cars and pulling in to the popular group. Shane usually kept quiet but the three girls went all out, making fun of her job and lifestyle. Her car wasn't the best but it was better than nothing and although better than nothing wasn't enough to be left alone, Tori didn't reply to anything the girls said, usually. Today was different. She knew if she didn't do something, she would graduate with regrets.

"Hey Diner Girl, nice car." Melanie shouted.

"Where's yours, did daddy buy you a new one this week?" Tori retorted as Dustin looked on in shock.

"No, it's only every month." Molly yelled, adding to Melanie's taunting.

"Is that because you can't maintain a car or just because you're spoiled rotten?"

"Diner Girl." Melanie glared at the girl and everyone around her laughed, except Shane and Hunter, they were off in their own worlds.

"Whatever." Tori muttered.


	2. Beginning Of A Major Shock

**Beginning Of A Major Shock**

Tori and Dustin jumped out of the car and walked to the front of the school, ignoring any of the comments that were thrown their way by the jocks. The two walked down the hall to their lockers and Tori whipped hers open, always whacking Dustin in the process. He gasped but moved it out of the way an inch or two.

"Careful dude." Dustin said.

"Sorry." Tori replied sincerely.

"No problem, but dude, just don't let them get to you."

"I have been letting them get to me for the last three years, it's about time I did something about it."

"Okay, but don't do anything you'll regret." Dustin smiled.

"I won't, see you next period." Tori replied, also smiling.

She had Phys. Ed., with the girls she loved the most. It was nice, watching Shane in the next room sometimes when the girls were being shown how to do something. The lady teacher yelled for them to start running laps and Tori took the front with her gym pal, Hailey. They were not best friends but they said hi to one another in the halls and wherever else they saw each other. They didn't hang out that much but realized that when they were in gym they had a relief friend.

Dustin wandered into Metal Shop, hoping he wouldn't have to be paired with Blake again. That kid got on Dustin's last nerve everyday. Dustin always did the work, all of the work. He wanted to sit with Carter, a guy he had known since third grade and they never fully grew apart. They were still good friends, he would hang with Tori and Dustin sometimes but only when he needed some help or something along those lines.

Tori and Hailey were in the back row for volleyball. It was Tori's serve and she aimed it directly for Melanie's head. She nailed her in the face instead as Melanie turned around to get ready, the ball plunged right into her face, making her nose bleed.

"I'm sorry." Tori lied.

"Just leave me alone."

Melanie retorted as she ran into the change room, which doubled as a bathroom. She looked in the mirror and almost cried. Her face was bruised and her nose was still bleeding. The teacher appeared in the change room a few minutes later, assuming the prissy girl didn't know how to stop a nosebleed.

Hailey and Tori were giggling. Trying to hide their grins from Molly and Kate who were arguing over what to do about Melanie. The rest of the girls on the opposing team were laughing hard, not caring what would happen to them, they were usually left alone and most were part of the wrestling or boxing teams the school had.

"My bad." Tori whispered into Hailey's ear.

"Nice aim, just do it again for volleyball finals." Hailey grinned.


	3. Face Plant

**Face Plant**

Tori hugged Hailey good-bye as she walked out of the change room and met up with Dustin, he got out of shop early and almost always met Tori outside the girls change room. Tori grinned at him and he smiled back.

"What did you do?" Dustin asked.

"I served the ball and it hit Mel right in the face, giving her a nosebleed."

"You're going to get it now." Dustin joked.

"I know, which is why I need you to walk me everywhere now, how was shop?"

"Great, I wasn't paired with Blake, it was individual and he pretty much failed."

"We're horrible." Tori laughed.

"Yeah dude, we are." Dustin joined her laughing.

They tuned right at the next corner and walked into the math room where, low and behold, they saw Shane and hunter, sitting near their seats. Tori turned her smile off and seated herself beside Shane. He never said anything to her if the popular crowd accompanied him.

"Hey Tori." He whispered before Hunter caught him.

"Hey diner girl." Hunter smiled.

He only called her that because he didn't know her real name. Normally he wouldn't make fun of anyone but he didn't know Tori's name so it was sincere.

"Hi." Tori replied hesitantly.

"I hate math." Hunter complained. "Don't you?"

"Always the best at what I hate." Tori joked.

"Bro, did you here about your girlfriend's nose?" Dustin asked.

"No, she probably deserved it though."

"It's like broken." Shane cut in.

Tori let out a small laugh but stopped before anyone heard her. She turned her smile off again and listened contently to the conversation before her.

"Do you know who broke it dude?" Hunter asked.

Tori gulped, she didn't want anyone to know it was her. Rumours spread fast when you're 'Diner Girl' and you happen to break the head cheerleaders nose. She widened her ears and waited for Dustin to answer.

"Heard it was some girl, nice aim I have to admit." Shane joked.

"Thanks." Tori blurted out.

"Excuse me?" Shane asked.

"Hanks, Mr. Hanks served it at her to get her attention." Tori covered up.

"Just goes to show you, if you've got no brain you're not going to hurt it if you get hit in the head." Hunter laughed.

"That explains Dustin." Shane laughed and Dustin stared at him blankly.

He didn't get it. Tori glared at Shane who was the only one laughing. He stopped when he realized no one else was. Tori shook her head at him and turned to the front, waiting for the teacher to begin the lesson.


	4. Arriving Fall

**Arriving Fall**

Tori popped open her cell phone after class. She received a message from the guy she had been talking to online for the past year. He went by 'Broken Soul' and she went as 'Permanent State'. They had not met at all but talked endlessly into the night. The only time she didn't keep in contact was when she was at work and only because her boss wouldn't let her.

"Hey Broken Soul, how's life treating you?" She spoke out loud as she replied.

She continued walking and met up with Dustin after waiting for him to get extra help with that day's math. She stepped on his foot and that knocked her off balance and she flipped over and landed on her butt. Her cell phone clutched in her hand, Dustin leaning against a different locker, grabbing his foot.

Tori was about to get up on her own when a hand reached down to hers and helped her up. She slipped her phone into her pocket and glanced at who helped her.

"You okay Diner Girl?" Hunter asked.

"Yeah, thanks." Tori smiled.

"Any time."

"Later." Tori smiled as he disappeared down the hall.

Dustin finally let go of his foot and limped over to the girl in awe of what happened. She was staring down the hall after him and he broke her concentration.

"Thanks for the pain in my foot." Dustin joked.

"You're welcome." Tori grinned.

"Hungry?"

"No, you go ahead, I'll meet you after school, okay?"

"Alright, don't do anything I wouldn't do, okay dude?" Dustin replied.

"What wouldn't you do?" Tori walked away laughing.

She picked her cell phone out of her pocket and there was already a reply. It read: _Hi Permanent State, pretty good, could be better; I'm having girl trouble. _Tori smiled to herself as she typed a line. _Don't worry it'll pass, we should meet sometime don't you think? _After that line, they got into a conversation of quick responds.

Broken Soul: Yeah, I here there's a dance coming up, maybe we could meet there?

Permanent State: All right, the masquerade ball right?

Broken Soul: Yeah, under the disco ball at ten?

Permanent State: Sounds like a plan, got to go, fourth period calls.

Broken Soul: Talk to you later.

Permanent State: Bye:)

Tori turned off her cell phone and headed inside the school for English. She sat beside Hailey and the two listened intently to the assignment. It was due the next week and Tori was working a lot so she left most of the work to her partner: Hailey.

"I'm sorry, I have to pay the bills somehow, I'll make it up to you I promise, free food at the diner?" Tori asked with a smile.

"Anytime." Hailey joked.


	5. Diner Work

**Diner Work**

Dustin leaned against Tori's car, waiting for her to come to drive him home. She walked out of the school, followed by the popular group, taunting her. Just the girls though, no Shane, Blake or Hunter. She continued to her car and hopped in the driver's side, waiting for them to start again.

"Going to the Diner, Diner Girl?" Melanie taunted.

"At least I don't have to get my money from Daddy." Tori retorted as she turned the key and revved the engine.

"Yeah that's right, run away Diner Girl, run away." Kate and Molly yelled.

"Ignore them Tor." Dustin said quietly.

Tori nodded and pulled out of the parking lot onto the road. She drove off down the street to the diner where she slammed her car door and almost dented it. Dustin followed her inside where she grabbed the hot pink apron and walked behind the counter.

"Hey Rhonda, bad day at school." Tori stated before grabbing her order pad and pencil.

"I can tell, Mel on your nerves again?" Rhonda joked.

"Yeah but she broke her nose dude." Dustin blurted out.

"How?" Rhonda smiled.

"Serving a volleyball." Tori smiled.

The door dinged and in walked the popular group, boys include this time. Rhonda looked at Tori and gave her a pleading look. Tori nodded and involuntarily walked over to the table and Dustin walked outside to head home. He only lived a few minutes away from the diner and he walked.

Tori looked around the diner, Mario gave her a smile and Rhonda watched her confidently. She slowly approached the table and Shane gave her a smile, only visible to Tori.

"What can I get for you today?" Tori asked, reaching into her pocket and pulling out the pad of paper and pencil.

"Just coffee please." Shane answered.

"Same." Hunter added.

"What can I get that has no carbs, no sugar and no fat?" Melanie asked.

"Uh, water." Tori replied jokingly.

"There goes you're tip." Melanie snarled.

"Anything else?" Tori ignored her.

"Diet Coke." Molly voiced.

"Ditto." Kate remarked.

"Ice tea." Blake said.

"Okay, did you want that water or was there something else?" Tori asked.

"The waters fine." Melanie answered and the guys at the table laughed a bit.

"Okay, I'll be right back." Tori announced.

She walked back to the counter and burst out laughing just loud enough for her to hear. She threw the piece of paper on the order rack and rang the tiny bell. Five minutes later, Rhonda delivered the drinks as Tori went to the back to take the garbage out and clean the floor.

She took over the counter and listened to all the regulars tell her their problems and she told them hers.

Shane sat quietly, glancing at Tori every so often, leaving the odd person at the table suspicious. He was interrupted by an argument between Melanie and Hunter.

"Hey look, I think we should break up, I mean I need some space." Hunter explained.

"Stop kidding around." Melanie smiled.

"When I heard about your broken nose, I didn't care." Hunter held back a laugh.

"For real?" Shane asked.

"I found it funny." Hunter laughed.

"Fine, be that way, come on girls." Melanie retorted.

She stood up, expecting her girls to follow but they just looked at her, dumbfounded. She stormed out of the diner and Tori raised a brow. She glanced over at Shane and noticed his coffee was getting low. She wandered over with the coffee pot and filled it up.

"Refill?" Tori asked.

"No, I got to get going." Hunter replied.

"Okay, so that's no refill on the water then?" Tori joked.

"Nope." Blake laughed.

"Anyone else need anything?"

"No, we should all get going." Shane answered.

"Have a nice day." Tori smiled and returned to her place behind the counter.


	6. Heading Home

**Heading Home**

Tori finished working around nine and locked up behind her. She hugged Rhonda good-bye and unlocked her car. Hopping in, she grabbed her cell phone from the cup holder and checked for a message. She read the note and headed home to log in.

Permanent State: Hey Broken Soul

Broken Soul: Long time no talk:)

Permanent State: I know, got caught up with work, how have you been?

Broken Soul: Pretty good, can't stop thinking about you, wondering what your eyes look like and what colour your hair is...

Permanent State: Blue and Blonde:)

Broken Soul: That helps:)

Permanent State: Only two more days...under the disco ball at ten?

Broken Soul: Yeah, can't wait.

Tori continued talking as she researched for her English assignment. She turned her computer off at two in the morning and headed to bed, exhausted from the research for the project due the next week.

She woke up to the ringing of her alarm. Ten minutes until Dustin picked her up. She skipped the morning shower and threw on a t-shirt and a pair of jeans. She grabbed a piece of bread on her way out the door, leaving all of the research on her desk.

"Did I miss something dude or did you just happen to crave a piece of bread?"

"Over slept, I was up all night talking to Broken Soul." Tori answered.

"When are you going to meet this guy, you've been talking for like ever and it's kind of annoying, with you leaving me alone at lunch and all." Dustin joked.

"The Dance, ten under the disco ball then I'll start eating lunch with you again so you don't have to eat with Carter everyday. And then I can do more work with Hailey and not give her free stuff from the diner. God, he is kind of annoying isn't he?" Tori asked sarcastically.

"Oh, before I forget, there's a pop quiz in French." Dustin blurted.

"How do you know?"

"I have my resources." Dustin grinned.

"Alright, fine, keep your secret." Tori shrugged it off.

The car zipped down the road and hit a red light, and Melanie pulled up beside them. She ignored them, Tori smiled, she was mad. Melanie was (oh the horror, single). Dustin pulled into the parking lot and Tori hopped out without any hassle. Tori skipped to her locker with Dustin jogging behind her.

She whipped her locker open but caught it before it even came close to touching Dustin. Dustin sighed after not being hit with the piece of hanging metal. Tori grabbed her books and turned in time to see the popular girls strutting down the hall. Melanie was walking with a new bunch of girls. No Molly or Kate. It looked like they were girls she just randomly grabbed out of the school cafeteria.

Tori covered her mouth as they walked down the hall, wearing their infamous mini skirts and high heels. Dustin laughed a bit. He never liked any of the girls who thought they were better than everyone else. That's why he hung out with Tori. She liked herself the way she was, not like the popular girls who tried way to hard to fit in.

"She's desperate." Dustin whispered.

"If she didn't hate me, I think maybe I could've been on the right side." Tori joked.

The two kept gossiping. The girls glared at them as they passed. After they passed by, Shane walked down the hall on his own. No girlfriend or popular guys with him. He stopped in front of the two.

"Hey guys, how are you?" He asked hesitantly.

"Good, you?" Dustin questioned.

"Could be better." Shane shrugged.

"Why?" Tori queried.

"You know, after Melanie walked out on Hunter, Molly and Kate keep fighting over what to do, it's like they only go out with us 'cause we're popular."

Tori wanted to blurt out 'Duh" but she just looked at him with sincerity. She smiled and watched the hall as the two boys talked.


	7. Lucky Streak

**Lucky Streak**

Tori closed her locker and waited until Dustin looked at her.

"I'm going now." She said.

"Hey, I'll walk you there, gym right?" Shane asked.

"Yeah, okay." Tori replied.

Dustin walked off the other way and Tori walked beside Shane to the gym where they parted and headed into their respected change rooms. Hailey sat on the bench that hung on the wall and smiled as Tori seated herself beside her. Melanie walked in the change room and her new girls weren't with her. She was a loner but Molly and Kate waved and smiled when they saw her.

Hailey led Tori into the gym and started their laps. When the teacher called them into the circle for a discussion, she brought up the events of the previous day.

"Melanie, I wouldn't mind spending some time with you to help you on your returns. Tori, I want you to serve first for volleyball finals and don't aim for Melanie."

The whole class laughed but Tori and Hailey grinned at each other. The teacher blew her whistle and everyone stopped laughing. The class stared up at the tall and fit teacher.

"Line up behind Miss Hanson and be prepared to serve and aim."

"Just pretend she's standing there." Hailey whispered to Tori, who was right in front of her.

"That was my plan." Tori turned around and smiled.

The teacher threw her the white volleyball. Tori took it in her left hand and drew back her right arm. She glanced up at the target. It was a brown bucket that sat in the middle of the opposing court. Tori punched the ball and it landed in the bucket. She held back her excitement until the teacher gave her a signal to sit down. Hailey hit the side of the bucket and soon joined Tori on the floor.

Dustin stood outside the girls change room and Tori was the first one out. She walked with Dustin to math and sat beside Hunter and Shane for the second day in a row.

"Hey Shane." Tori smiled.

"Hey Tor." Shane replied with out hesitation.

"What's your name?" Hunter asked, turning sideways.

"Tori."

"Cool, guess I should stop calling you 'Diner Girl' huh?" He joked.

"Maybe." Dustin cut in.

"Well I am a girl and I do work in a diner. Fits me perfectly doesn't it?" Tori asked jokingly.

"True, but it's not really my style."

"Right, are you working tonight?" Shane asked.

"Yeah, tonight, tomorrow night and every other night until I graduate from University." Tori answered with a bit of an attitude.

"Where you going?" Hunter asked.

"Cal U, it's near home and all, can't really afford to move." Tori stated, more for herself than for Hunter's sake.

"Maybe I'll see you there." Hunter smiled.

"You're going to Cal U?" Dustin asked.

"Yeah, if I can tell my dad that, he wants me to go to Harvard."

"You don't want to go?" Shane asked as Tori and Dustin drifted into their own conversation.

"How was v-ball?" Dustin asked.

"I almost did it again." Tori grinned.

"Almost?"

"Yeah, she was standing right next to the target right and it went in the first time then the second time it touched her and rolled in." Tori explained.

"Seriously?"

"No, she wasn't even in the same gym as I was." Tori sighed.

"Oh, well. It's still funny, you should really be more careful." Dustin joked.

"Uh huh." Tori held back her laughter.

"You're so dead dude."

"That's T-o-r-i." Tori laughed.

"Okay."


	8. Speaking Tongue

**Speaking Tongue**

Dustin snickered at Tori occasionally during math. He finally ended up with a detention at lunch. Tori left him there and went off in her own little lunchtime world.

Permanent State: Hello?

Tori waited for a few minutes. She was about to put her cell phone away when it played a little song and another message appeared.

Broken Soul: Hey pretty lady

Permanent State: You don't know who I am or what I look like

Broken Soul: Blonde hair, blue eyes, I'm liking you already

Permanent State: Are you sure?

Broken Soul: The only reason I wouldn't like you is if you were a guy, are you a guy?

Permanent State: No! You better be though

Broken Soul: Oh my god, let's never mention that conversation again

Permanent State: Deal:)

Broken Soul: Where you off too?

Permanent State: English, you?

Broken Soul: Gym

Permanent State: Volleyball finals:)

Broken Soul: No problems there

Permanent State: Later

Broken Soul: I'll be waiting:)

Tori closed her cell phone and opened the school door. She walked down the hall, she was excited. The dance was the next night, she would finally meet the guy she had been talking to. Her heart was already racing, even though the dance was the next night.

Her and Dustin were going to carpool to the dance. They were taking Dustin's car, hers would give her away instantly and for the dress she had, it wouldn't fit her style. It was her mother's old prom dress. Full and light blue with thin straps. Her grandma made it for her mother and father's prom. She even fit in the shoes that matched the dress. The shoes were bought first then the family matched the dress with the shoes, it was simple but took the girls a while to figure out.

She opened the English room door and met Hailey in their usual spots. Hailey held up her information and smiled wide. Tori went to pull her research out of her backpack when it hit her.

"I left them on my desk I hope. I swear on my mother's grave I will type the whole project, even if it means skipping part of the dance." Tori pleaded.

"You better get it done." Hailey replied with a grin.

"Thank you so much, I'm so sorry." Tori retorted sincerely.

"I'm used to you and this kind of stuff." Hailey replied smiling.

"Okay, it'll be done for Friday, that gives me two days then you can do whatever you want with it." Tori stated.

"Edit it and stuff?" Hailey jokingly asked.

"Yeah that kind of stuff."

"Are you going to the dance still?"

"I have to, I'm meeting 'Broken Soul' at ten." Tori remarked.

"Ten bucks says he's like a major jock and popular, everything you're not." Hailey joked.

"You're on." Tori retorted.

The two girls shock hands and wandered out of English class to the library for the Wednesday exploration of the bookshelves.


	9. Many More

**Many More**

It was time for Tori's French quiz. She knew no one in her class but liked the language even so. It was her choice to take it all through high school, seeing as she did live alone and had no one to answer to.

She handed it in at the end of the period and met Dustin at the car. He drove her to the diner and then drove home, promising to visit before she left for the night. She grabbed her hot pink apron and took over the front counter.

All was going well, hardly any people considering their normal supper rush. Rhonda was washing the empty tables in the tiny diner and Mario was cleaning up the empty kitchen. Tori looked around at the whole lot of nothing to do. She grabbed a post-it note and began to print her name. She stuck it in the middle of her apron and started to draw a picture. It was just a simple circle with a few other shapes inside.

Her drawing went on for the next few minutes until the ringing of the bell on the door broke her concentration and she darted her head up, causing her to scrape a black pen line through her picture.

Hunter seated himself at the front counter on one of the hot pink benches. Tori looked at her ruined picture and realized that the customer was more important considering it was her job to serve people who wanted to be served. Tori wandered over in front of him and waited for him to look at her.

"What can I get for you today?" Tori asked.

"Just a coffee."

"Alright, it's on the house, seeing as you don't look like you're in a very cheery mood." Tori smiled.

"Thanks Tori." He mumbled.

She wandered to the coffee pot in front of the kitchen window that the orders were passed through. She grabbed a clean mug from the dishwasher and quickly dried it. She threw some creamers on a little plate and grabbed a sugar holder. Tori set the mug down first then took the creamer plate from balancing on her arm and set it down with the sugar.

"Nothing else?" She asked.

"No thanks."

Tori headed back towards the cash register and almost popped it open. Rhonda snapped her back to the reality of which the diner was.

"Did you give him coffee on the house?" She asked.

"Maybe, don't tell please." Tori pleaded.

"You owe me." Rhonda smiled.

"Okay." Tori replied.

"Big time."

"I'll take your shift sometime?" Tori asked with a smile.

"No girl, I'm just kidding, I would never make you do anything, I do it all the time, just don't rat me out and I won't rat you out." Rhonda joked.

"Oh my god, you're the best." Tori practically yelled, shocking the whole diner, including Hunter.

"Whoa girl, keep it down." Rhonda laughed.

"My bad." Tori said to the whole diner with a laugh.

"Girl, don't be sorry." A customer yelled back with a laugh.

"Okay, thank you Mrs. Sanderson, your meal is on me." Tori replied without thinking.

"Free food all around." Rhonda added.


	10. Freedom and Speech

**Freedom and Speech**

"Rhonda." Tori playfully smacked her supervisor.

Rhonda just grinned at Tori and continued to pass out free food. Some of the stuff was already overpriced but people went to the diner for the nice people and the good food. Tori was one of the best, nice and she could hold up an intelligent conversation with an older person.

"What is going on here?" The owner walked into the diner where everyone was eating and laughing.

"It was all my fault." Tori retorted.

"No it wasn't, Sage, it was all my fault." Rhonda cut in.

"Just fire me, I'm young, I can find hard work somewhere else." Tori argued against Rhonda. "Just please don't fire Rhonda."

"Alright fine, you're fired, Rhonda you'll be working under my careful watch from now on." Sage spat at them.

"Excuse me miss, it was my fault." A familiar voice broke the ice.

Shane stood in the doorway, he had snuck in behind Sage hoping to find Hunter. He spoke with courage and heroism. Tori mouthed a few words and Shane nodded.

"Um, What?" Rhonda asked.

"I did it." Shane repeated.

"Huh, are you sure 'cause I have no problem busting this girl here." Sage retorted.

"All me."

"Alright young man, if I catch you in my diner again, you better be prepared for what comes next."

"Hey Sage, how's that going to work when you're never here to run the place." Tori blurted out.

Rhonda's mouth dropped open. She had always said stand up for what you believe in but this was Tori. She took it all from anybody who could dish it out.

"Did I really just say that?" Tori whispered to Rhonda.

"Yeah."

"Oops." Tori giggled.

"Excuse me?" Sage asked with an attitude.

"You heard me." Tori said with a slight hesitation.

"Are you willing to lose your job?" Sage asked.

"You fire me, you're firing the best waitress you have, so unless you want to work here, I suggest you keep me around." Tori blurted out more.

"You know I don't want to work here." Sage retorted.

"Guess I'm not fired." Tori grinned.

"No, you'll just have to work here for the rest of your life, because I don't care what happens to you." Sage fought back.

"Same to you." Rhonda cut in.

"I don't know why I own this dump, the workers are so ungrateful..."

Sage mumbled as she walked out the door. Tori covered her mouth and laughed a bit. Rhonda patted her on the back and joined her laughing. Tori noticed Shane and walked over to him, he was near Hunter but she didn't care.

"You're not supposed to be here." Tori joked.

"I'm a rule breaker." Shane sighed.

"Well thanks for breaking the rules, it's good to know that I have a friend wherever I go." Tori smiled.

"Speaking of, where's Dustin?" Shane asked.

"At home being normal." Tori rolled her eyes.

"There's no such thing." Hunter broke in. "Normal doesn't exist."

"Dude, you okay?" Shane asked, waving a hand in front of his face. Tori slapped it out of the way.

"Why do you think that?" Tori asked.

"Because everyone's different, there's no written definition of normal that can define people because nothing is ever the same."

"But it's all about opinions of others, people who live less hectic lives are more normal than I'll ever be." Tori opposed.

"Yeah but you're not normal, no one is, it's like the word perfect, it shouldn't exist, nothings ever perfect."

"Perfection is in the eye of the beholder." Tori again opposed.

"So is beauty." Shane nodded.

"You're not supposed to be here." Tori joked again.

"Yes but I'm a normal teen who is perfect at breaking the rules." Shane smirked.

"I have to get back to work. Talk to you later." Tori said with a raised brow.


	11. Almost Joined

**Almost Joined**

Tori left the diner late that night, afraid of what was out in the night. Rhonda watched her from the back window, making sure no one was going to get her. Tori hopped the fence and was in her back yard a few minutes later. She logged on and began to talk to her pal.

Permanent State: Hey, is you're soul unbroken yet?

Broken Soul: It's in a Permanent State:)

Permanent State: Cute, maybe you can win my heart with dorky catch phrases

Broken Soul: It was worth a try

Permanent State: Tomorrow night, can't wait.

Broken Soul: I want to touch you, just to see if you're for real, you don't know how long I've wanted to know what you look like for do you?

Permanent State: No but what's one more night?

Tori continued to talk and work at the same time but eventually logged off and fell into her bed. She closed her eyes and instantly fell asleep. She was up on time the next morning but she was still in a rush. None of the project was organized and she was setting her limit.

"I have to be home by eleven to finish this thing." Tori muttered as she grabbed her toast and whipped out the door to her car.

She pulled into Dustin's driveway and his dad waved from the front window. Tori smiled and waved back. Dustin jumped into the car and they sped away down the road and parked right near the front doors.

Tori walked to her locker, finding a white piece of paper taped to the front. She slipped it off and opened it, it did have her name on it. She read the letter and leaned against her locker with a huge smile.

"What?" Dustin asked, walking to his locker.

"Shane wants to join us for lunch, to talk about becoming friends again." Tori smiled with the answer.

"Didn't know we weren't friends." Dustin joked.

"Just go to shop already." Tori laughed as she headed for the gym.

She pulled on her gym shirt and rolled the sleeves up so she looked tough. Hailey laughed at her and the two girls ran out into the gym, watching for Melanie in the process. She was there and she was glaring at the two as she walked closer.

"Morning Ladies, heard about the mysterious person my ex has been talking to?" Melanie asked seriously.

"What?" Tori retorted with a slight smile.

"I overheard him talking to...Shane and he's meeting this girl at the dance tonight, met her on the Internet, Permanent Stay or something like that." Melanie said.

"Permanent State." Tori muttered and no one heard her. She spoke up, "Um...no, haven't heard anything about it until now. What creative name did he use?"

"Broken Soul, maybe it had to do with him breaking up with me, he must be heartbroken." Melanie sneered.

"So, what are you going to do about it?" Hailey asked.

"I was going to sneak around and find out when this girl is supposed to be meeting him then go as Permanent Stay."

"Oh." Tori sighed.

"Catch you later." Melanie sneered and her girls joined her in the laps.

"Okay, I guess I'll have more time for this project in English." Tori joked.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't listening." Hailey turned her attention to Tori.

"Don't worry, let's get running."


	12. Early Afternoon

**Early Afternoon**

Tori hopped out of gym class before Dustin stood there. She typed in a note to Broken Soul and did not await his reply. She latched onto Dustin's arm and the two skipped down the hall (not literally). They walked into math and sat in the same seats, giggling away at stuff they were discussing in the hall.

"Morning giggle puss." Shane joked

"Hope you're not laughing at what happened yesterday." Hunter joked.

"Of course I am, she's a butthead. It's not like I've been threatened before. 'One more time and you're fired', I've heard that like everyday for the past two years." Tori laughed.

"She even tried to fire me once and I didn't even work there." Dustin kidded.

"Yeah, that sucks huh Broken Soul?" Shane laughed.

"Man, that's why I hate Mel so much, she stole my stupid phone and..."

"Figured out who you were." Tori finished.

"Basically."

"So..." Dustin stated.

"Knowing her, she'll try to go to the ball as this girl and wait for me where I'm supposed to meet her. If no one else shows up..."

Tori tuned out and watched the three boys gossip over nothing really. She was bored of school and just wanted to go home to work on the project. Her stomach was feeling weird. She knew she was in trouble but didn't know what to do. She raised her hand and waited for the teacher to point her out.

"Um...may I go to the nurses office, I don't feel so good." Tori lied.

The teacher nodded and the not so sick blonde gathered up her stuff, glancing at her cell. It was signaling a text message and she shoved it in her bag farther, hoping to escape her nightmare. What if she wasn't what he expected or even wanted?

"Did you need some help?" The teacher asked.

Hunter jumped with excitement. Anything to miss math was fun in his books. Tori rolled her eyes and swung the bag over her shoulder. She walked out of the room followed closely by Hunter. Once they were out of range of the math room, Tori looked around.

"You okay?" He asked.

"You know what, I'm not sick. I just really want to go home." Tori blurted out.

"I know what you mean, but then there are others who have to suffer through the annoying classes." Hunter joked.

"Like you?" Tori asked with a hint of a smile.

"Guess it's an advantage to being on your own huh?"

"Yeah but I'd rather suffer through school than live without my family or anyone, I guess I only have one person left I can count on, no wait, I have a whole diner full." Tori stated, hesitating and thinking in between words.

"That's life."

"Did you want me to take the long way to the nurses office so you can miss more equations?" Tori joked.

"You would do that for me?" He asked teasingly.

"Yeah well, you're soul is broken, is it in a 'Permanent State' or can it be fixed?"

"It can be fixed, Mel was a loser." He laughed.

"No comment." Tori replied.

"On Mel, not a lot of people have those, she was mean to...most...all...anyone."

"So now you understand the life of 'Diner Girl'." Tori joked. "With my 'Diner' job, crappy car and no money for cool stuff. Just about as good as it gets."

"Fun." Hunter laughed a bit.

"Well, this is my stop. Have fun at the dance, hope you meet your dream girl." Tori stated.

"Oh yeah, you too."

"Me, I'm not going." Tori remarked.

"A pretty girl like you?"

"Really big English thing, due tomorrow." Tori answered.

"But it's not 'cause you don't have a date, is it?"

"No. I was supposed to meet somewhere there but I can't go." Tori shrugged.


	13. Debate

**Debate**

Tori walked through the door of the nurse's office and watched from the window as the popular motocross racer slowly walked back to math. She seated herself on the red chair in the little waiting room but decided against it and ran to the library. She began to type the English and saved it to a disk to take home.

When the lunch bell rang, she ran to meet Dustin outside the cafeteria. He always stopped to talk with some friends before he went in. And he liked to let the line die down for food. She leaned against the door and soon after, Dustin appeared in her view. She walked over to him, bag slung over her shoulder, and tapped his shoulder. He turned around and looked at her.

"I thought you went home sick." Dustin stated confused.

"I went to the library to get my English started on. Can you give me a ride to the dance tonight?"

"Uh sure." Dustin answered.

"And no matter what I say, drag me to that stupid dance, okay?"

"Okay, no problems there." Dustin smirked.

"Without touching me or hitting me with any heavy objects." Tori replied.

"Fine."

The two friends went and found Shane seated at a table. Tori flipped open her cell phone and read the message that was signaling earlier. It read: _I know you know who I am but I still don't know you. Please meet me for sure under the disco ball at ten. If you don't show, I'll find you one way or another and don't worry about Mel, her hair is brown and yours is blonde, I can't wait to look into those blue eyes of yours and finally know who you are. Love always Broken Soul (Hunter B.)_

Tori smiled at the note and replied with a simply '_Be right back'_ so she could eat with her friends then head off into her own world for a while. Her heart was skipping beats and she felt as though she owed it to the motocross rider to meet him and prove to him that she wasn't that great.

"Hey guys." Shane greeted them.

"Hi, I'm going to have to cut this a bit short, I have a huge English project due tomorrow and if I'm going to the dance, I should finish it." Tori explained.

"Okay, I just wanted lunch and to say that I'm sorry for everything I did to you guys, I mean, leaving just to be popular which isn't all that great now that I've lived it."

"It's totally okay, I mean I would've done the same thing if I were you dude, I just wasn't accepted as one of them." Dustin replied.

"I wouldn't, I hate people who act like something they're not." Tori interrupted.

"So, maybe you'll give me a dance tonight?" Shane asked.

"Sure." Tori smiled.

She walked off and began to talk to 'Broken Soul' even though she knew who he was, it was the name he gave himself and she intended to keep it that way until their meeting. That way he wouldn't think it was unfair if she used Permanent State.

Broken Soul: How's lunch?

Permanent State: You could say it was great or you could say it was good:)

Broken Soul: Hey, do you know 'Diner Girl'?

Permanent State: Quite well:)

Broken Soul: Isn't she cool, I mean, she doesn't care about what anyone says and she's just her own person, are you anything like that?

Permanent State: Yeah, but she cares more than you think

Broken Soul: Yeah?

Permanent State: I was talking to her the other day and she told me that she just wanted to be like an average teen, not having to worry about the bills or having to work all the time, she misses out on a lot, I mean, she was confused about the dance. She's still debating whether or not to go. Hey, if you see her there, will you spare her a dance?

Broken Soul: I was going to anyways

Permanent State: You know, my assumption used to be all popular people were jerks but you're different:)

Broken Soul: I know but I didn't make myself that way, other people did

Permanent State: True, sorry, I got to go, fourth-

Broken Soul: I know, fourth period:)


	14. Tonight's Knight

**Tonight's Knight**

Tori walked home after school was out for the day and began to finish up her English. She had still not finished it by the time she had to meet Broken Soul. She threw on her mother's old prom dress and a little blue cat mask. She threw her hair up in a bun and ran out to the car in which Dustin sat waiting. She jumped in and he looked her up and down.

"Hey Pretty Diner Girl." He teased her.

"Don't you wish you were Broken Soul?" She joked.

"At times like these, not really, you're more of a friend than a girlfriend." Dustin half laughed.

She smiled at him and he drove off down the road to the glowing school. The gym was radiating an orange glow and the windows blew everyone away with the sparkles from the disco ball. The two masked friends walked into the ball and glanced around at everything.

Tori began to walk towards the punch bowl when an arm caught her attention. She wanted to ignore it, since it was only a few minutes until ten and she was supposed to be under the disco ball. She turned slowly, pulling her mask up so she could see better.

"Shane." Tori stated shocked.

"You look great, considering your reputation as Diner Girl." He joked.

"I know, can't believe I've pulled it off."

"Well, nice talking to you , maybe you can spare me that dance later?"

"Yeah, uh, I'll find you." Tori replied.

"Bye."

Tori waved as he walked away. She watched as Mel made her way to the disco ball and stood there, waiting for Hunter to show up. Tori walked over, mask pulled down and stared her strait in the eye.

"You must be Permanent Stay." Melanie smiled deviously.

"It's Permanent State." Tori retorted with a grin.

"Whatever, you should probably leave before I make you." Melanie giggled fakely.

"You've obviously never messed with me before have you. I don't run away and I don't back down."

"Obviously you've never messed with me or else you wouldn't be here would you, Permanent Screw Up." Melanie sneered.

"Excuse me?"

"You're excused, what did you do, fart, sneeze, cough?"

Tori glared at her for a second until she punched her in the face and made her fall to the ground. Melanie winced in pain but struggled to get herself to her feet. She wobbled as she tried to go after Tori but she dodged everything Melanie threw at her. Melanie fled to the bathroom and Tori stared after her.

She touched up her mask, making sure it was on strait and then turned around to come face to face with Hunter. She looked up at him and half smiled.

"Are you-"

"Permanent State." Tori reached out her hand. "Nice to finally meet you."

"Did you want to go somewhere less loud?"

"Love to." Tori finished her smile.

He took her hand and she glided to the outdoor football field stage. She stepped up and spun around, her dress moving with her. The young man laughed a bit at her actions but soon followed her around the stage as she stopped and walked over to meet him.

"Blonde hair, blue eyes. Anything else?"

"You know me." Tori smiled as her hands moved toward the mask.

"Do I?" He asked with another smile.

"Twenty questions. Then you can guess."

"Number one, are you in any of my classes?"

"Yeah, math."

He kept asking her questions like, what do you like to do and what's you favourite subject. She just danced around the stage in a very elegant manor. He watched every move and eventually they ended up slow dancing to the loud music from the gym. He looked into her eyes.

"One more question." She stated quietly.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?"

Tori looked away and smiled. She thought for a minute. It had to be the perfect answer, not just yeah or nope but almost poetic. It almost had to be unique, something that maybe someday someone might quote. It wasn't as poetic as she thought when she said it but it was better than yeah and nope.

"I'll let you know." She smiled her million-watt smile.


	15. Dancing With Wolves

**Dancing With Wolves**

She smiled the rest of the dance then the song turned a bit faster. Her mind went off and remembered she had the English project to do the next day but hadn't yet finished it. She had to type another page.

"I got to go." Tori blurted out.

"What? Why?" Hunter asked confusingly.

"I'm late."

"For what?" He wasn't giving up yet.

"Reality."

Tori grabbed the bottom of her dress and ran down the steps. She ran through the gym, Hunter not far behind. He wasn't letting her get away without knowing who she was. She ran through the front hall, dropping her cell phone from the strap on her shoe. She didn't have anywhere else to put it when she was in a dress and didn't have a purse so she improvised.

Hunter grabbed it and watched her run through the cars and into one that looked slightly familiar.

Dustin sat waiting with the seat down so no one would see him. He knew she was coming back at a specific time, he read her like a book. Some people even thought they could read each other's minds. He began to drive to her house and she jumped out, running to the front door and bursting through. Dustin waited for he to give him a signal that she was okay and when he saw it, the car sped away, back to the dance.

Tori took the dress off and put on her pajamas in exchange. She sat down at the computer and started to type the project. She was almost finished when her messenger blinked. She didn't want to talk then, not until her fingers were done typing. Her curiosity got the best of her and she finally looked at the message. _Were you even at the dance or was the girl I was dancing with a phony?_

Tori sighed at the message and typed a response, which turned into a conversation.

Permanent State: Yeah, it was me, you took me to the football stadium stage and we danced

Broken Soul: So how come you ran off?

Permanent State: I can't do this anymore, I'm not who you think I am

Broken Soul: Is it because you know who I am? If it were someone else would you be doing this?

Permanent State: Look, you don't want to know who I am, it'll be a disappointment to you because I'm not the person you think I am

Broken Soul: Would you tell me if I guessed?

Permanent State: I don't know, I have to go, finishing some project for tomorrow

Broken Soul: I'll be thinking about you:)

Permanent State: Bye:)

Tori signed off and, for the first time, finished the project. She printed it out and put it in a nice blue folder with a clear cover. She was only going to school that day to hand in her report but she decided to stay. It was in math class she had regretted her decision.

"You never found me last night, you were supposed to give me a dance." Shane joked.

"I thought you told me you weren't going?" Hunter asked.

"Uh...I stopped by to talk to my partner for my English project and I thought it would be really embarrassing if I showed up in my pajamas." Tori lied.

"What are you talking about, you were dressed in-" Dustin began.

"Slippers, no." Tori cut him off. "Why would I wear my slippers to a dance?"

"Whatever, anyways, do you think this is her cell phone?" Hunter changed the subject, holding the phone up to admire it.

It was a navy blue, metallic colour that flipped up to reveal a screen. It was covered in gold star stickers and even had a mini screen on the front with the date and time. The outside screen was framed with a thin silver strip of plastic. Tori gaped but eventually found some words to spit out.

"Whoa, cool phone."

"Cool, that looks just like yours." Dustin blurted out.

"No, mine's got silver stars." Tori lied.

"Anyways, all I wanted to do was meet her but now she doesn't want to anymore." Hunter continued.

"Hey, maybe there's a camera or something on the phone, maybe she took pictures of friends?" Shane stated.

"That's not a bad idea, you took pictures with yours when you first bought it didn't you Tor?" Dustin asked.

"Mine didn't have a camera, I just made you think it did." She grinned.

"I'll check anyways."

He flipped it open and tried to get to the menu. It required a password that he didn't have. Tori let out a sigh of relief and looked around, making sure no one heard her.

"Class, homework is pages three, four, five and six, questions one through seventeen." The teacher interrupted the many conversations that had taken over the class.

The bell rang and set out the school wide signal that class was over. They all filed out of math class, lost in different thoughts.


	16. Wolves Dancing With You

**Wolves Dancing With You**

The school day had finally ended after lunch and two more periods and the blonde girl drove off to the diner. She watched Dustin cross the road and walk towards his house. She threw on her pink apron and picked up her towel to clean up the counter with before the diner hour hit. It could get quite busy at dinner. It was her break when someone familiar walked through the door.

"Hey Tor, can you get that, I'm kind of busy right now?" Rhonda asked from the back.

She sighed and turned around to come face to face with the guy she wouldn't mind not seeing for a few days. But he looked depressed.

"What can I get for you today?" Tori asked, faking a smile.

"What do you suggest for a broken heart?" Hunter half joked.

"A transplant?" Tori asked jokingly, taking the smile off.

"Just a water I guess."

"Coming up."

She turned around and grabbed a glass, filling it with ice and water. She grabbed a straw and slipped it into her hands, watching Rhonda balance the many plates on her arms. Tori walked over and set the glass on the counter, then grabbed her cloth and wiped up the counter.

"Do you ever feel like you don't belong?" Hunter asked as she reached closer to his place.

"All the time."

"How do you deal with it?" He asked.

"I talk to people like you." Tori half smiled.

"Oh, well, I just wanted to return your phone."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the blue starry phone. He set it on the counter and stood up, taking one last sip of his water.

"What?" Tori asked, picking up the phone and looking at it.

"Don't think I haven't noticed you with that before, I'm not who you think I am, all high and mighty. You're a better person than anyone I know, even better than Shane and he tries you know."

Tori let out a little laugh. She was shocked to know that he knew who she was.

"So why do you care?" He asked.

"About what?"

"Me knowing, you knowing..."

"I don't know what to think, you tell me, I'm usually good at thinking for myself but I'm not myself today." Tori joked but didn't say it with happiness, she was down.

"That's a no, if you change your mind you no where to find me."

"Yeah."

"Later." He sighed.


	17. Time Nears

**Time Nears**

She looked out the front door and sighed. She couldn't go after him, the one-day she needed to leave, wanted to leave, she couldn't because Sage was there, watching over the diner, not really like her to actually do work, but she was there. Tori looked at Sage, then back out the door. Her mind was arguing with her heart and she whipped out the door, leaving an angry Sage behind.

She ran towards the parking lot, stopping by the truck Broken Soul was hopping into. She yelled his name and he turned around and smiled.

"I thought you were pretty smart." Hunter joked.

"Yeah, I don't have a lot of time right this minute but maybe we can talk or go out some time?"

As she finished her sentence, her boss emerged from the door and walked over towards Tori. Hunter gave a slight chuckle at how angry she was. Tori glanced back and gave a nervous smile back.

"I may not have been able to bust you the last time but if you don't get back in there this minute, you'll be fired." Sage said calmly.

"Please?" Tori asked before having her arm taken by the manager/owner.

"You know how to contact me."

"Come on girl." Sage sneered. "Back to work."

Tori laughed at her boss's actions as she nodded and ran towards the diner, ripping her arm from Sage's grasp. She popped through the door and engaged herself in some unfinished work. Rhonda peeked through the order window and shot Sage a mean look to her back.

"Hey Sage, can I talk to you?" Rhonda yelled.

The boss casually walked over to her employee and the ended up having a civilized conversation. Rhonda wanted to buy the diner and that would leave Sage with a diner-free life. Sage agreed, she didn't want to deal with Tori anymore, she was causing so many complications.

"Thank you for finally getting this dump off of my hands." Sage snarled.

"Right, no problem, just one more thing, don't show up here, I don't want you around."

"Like I'd want to be seen here anyways." Sage retorted and left for good.

"Oh my god, does that men that you're my new boss?" Tori asked.

"Oh yeah girlfriend. Ding, dong, the witch is gone." Rhonda teased.

Tori and Rhonda, as well as the rest of the diner, danced around the diner to the jukebox song one of the customers played. No one really like Sage and now she was gone, forever. Rhonda let Tori off early and she whipped home to log in.

Permanent State: Hey

Broken Soul: What's new?

Permanent State: Oh my god, Rhonda bought the diner:)

Broken Soul: So now we can hang with Shane

Permanent State: Yeah but he's a normal teen who is perfect at breaking rules, it's not like it mattered anyway, she's never there

Broken Soul: Yeah, how come you have to work there, I mean, how'd you get to be on your own?

Permanent State: Long story

Broken Soul: Hey, it's not like I have a date or anything:)

Permanent State: Not with me anyways

Broken Soul: Spill


	18. Background

**Background**

_She sat on the edge of her bed, whining to her mom and dad about them not letting her go with them. She had known about that night for the past few weeks and being the average sixteen-year-old, she knew how to get what she wanted, usually._

"_Why can't I go with you?" She asked, pleading._

"_Look Tori, we want you to understand that tonight's our anniversary and we wanted to spend it alone, at least for the dinner part." Her mom answered._

"_Don't worry, I promise we'll be back later." Her dad added._

"_Promise?" She looked at them with her wide eyes._

"_But don't wait up for us, we might be a little later than usual." Her mom smiled, as she stood there in her black dress, ready for the town._

_Her dad stood there in his black tuxedo and blue tie. He looked like a prince with his princess and she was the one who got left behind. She really wanted to go but her parents promised they'd be back for her._

Permanent State: They never came back after, drunk driver and all

Broken Soul: Whoa, didn't know that

Permanent State: There's a lot of stuff people don't know about me

Broken Soul: I want to know

Permanent State: I want you to know but I don't know if I can, it was only three years ago and I don't really want you to see me cry

Broken Soul: That's one side of you I haven't seen:)

Tori watched the screen flicker on and off. It was raining heavily outside and she tried her best to type a response before the power went out.

Permanent State: Hey, talk to you tomorrow?

Broken Soul: Math class?

Permanent State: Yeah, math:)

Tori logged off and popped open a book. She sat by the light of a flashlight and read; the lights had gone off shortly after she logged out. She eventually fell asleep with her book in hand. Her finger rested in the spine of the book, not letting the marked page go.

It was the next morning the thunder had finally let up. The lightning had quit a few hours before but the sound of the thunder echoed for miles. Tori had been kept awake by the sounding of the thunder and although she was listening to it, she had not heard it. Her mind was blank, thinking of nothing but Hunter.

Her and Dustin met up when she stopped by his house before he even had a chance to leave to pick her up. She arrived at the school and walked into gym damp. She left gym not so damp but she was still wet and her hair had gone messy.

"Dustin, do you have that brush you used to use all the time?" Tori asked on their way to math.

"Yeah, just give me like five minutes to dig it out dude."

"Okay."

Tori and Dustin walked while he dug through his backpack. She laughed when he almost lost a few important books for English and what not. He finally handed her the brush and she began to brush her hair as she sat down in her math seat, near Hunter and Shane.

"Hey dudes." Dustin greeted.

"Hi." Hunter smiled at Tori.

"Hi." Tori finished brushing her messy hair and handed the brush back to Dustin.

"Gee thanks." Dustin replied sarcastically.

"What's new?" Shane asked, giving them high fives.

"Nothing." Tori grinned.

"Hey, if it's nothing" Dustin began.

"Sage basically quit." Tori finished.

"Sweet, I can hang in the diner." Shane joked.

"I don't know if Rhonda really wants you around." Tori teased.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He retorted.

"That you're kind of a pig." Hunter kidded.

"Just kind of?" Tori asked.

"Oh, I get it bro." Shane laughed.

"And an idiot it seems." Tori stopped kidding around and remembered something important. "Shoot, my English, I totally forgot to throw something in."

"Hey, you got Hailey, she'll find it and fix it." Dustin replied.

"No, I handed it in right from the printer, she didn't even get a chance to check it, I didn't even get a chance because I was at the dance. If I fail English, I'm blaming you guys." Tori pointed to each of the three guys.

"What did I do?" Shane whined.

"You ditched Dustin and I last year for the popular people, remember?" Tori asked sarcastically.

"Don't worry, you won't fail, if you forgot, it obviously wasn't that important." Hunter joked.

"I guess you have a point but still, I'm going to be murdered by my partner because I forgot." Tori joked back.

They spent the rest of the class joking around, it was Friday and no one really cares on Fridays. Tori finished her homework in class, closely followed by most of her classmates. Her and Hunter walked out of the math room after everyone else.


	19. Permanent State Of A Broken Soul

**Permanent State Of A Broken Soul**

Tori slung her book bag over her shoulder and threw it on the ground in front of her locker as she opened it. She then grabbed what she needed for her next class and headed with Hunter, to his locker.

"When you go to University, are you living at home?" Tori asked.

"I'm going to try, my dad doesn't really want me to go here. I think I'll end up renting a dorm or apartment or something, just until I can buy my own house or something." Hunter explained.

"Oh, what about a basement apartment?" Tori asked.

"Yeah, I guess, depending on the rent."

"I can charge you with laundry and stuff." Tori smiled.

"You're just going to give me your basement?" He asked surprise in his voice.

"Yeah, Hailey was going to be living there but she's going off to Michigan and doesn't need it plus I would rather not live by myself anymore." Tori smiled.

"If it means that much to youâthen why not?" Hunter asked, smiling back at her.

"But I just have one question."

"Alright, shoot."

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" Tori asked in a kind of mocking tone.

She smiled, no, she grinned at her not so funny joke. He looked at her for a minute then a smile spread across his face and he pulled her in for a hug. She hugged back and only when Dustin walked up was the hug broken.

"Did I miss something?" He asked.

"Yeah, a lot." Tori joked as she stood there with Hunter's arm around her shoulders.

"Does this mean I have to walk home today?" Dustin asked.

"No. I think we should all go out, asâfriends." Tori suggested.

"Don't you have to work?" Hunter asked.

"Rhonda gave me my first ever night off." Tori smiled.

"First ever?" Dustin asked.

"Not my first but one of the few, stop complicating things."

"Who's complicating things?" Shane asked as she overheard them before he turned the corner.

"Forget it. My life was hard enough working like strait days and now my friends are a bunch of idiotic boys, where's Hailey when you need her?" Tori stated sarcastically.

"You mean that girl you hang out with who is like so hot?" Shane asked.

"Sure."

"Can we ask her to come too?" Shane asked, almost pleading.


	20. Happy End

**Happy End**

Hailey was walking through the halls when she was whipped around and looked face to face with Tori. She grinned back and then pushed her a bit backward. Hailey gave her a look of confusion and Tori turned her grin into a genuine smile.

"The guys and I were wondering if you wanted to go out to celebrate with us?" Tori asked.

"What guys? I thought you only had one guy friend."

"My boyfriend and ex-friend who came crawling back." Tori joked and the three of them walked up behind her.

Hailey looked at Shane and then at Hunter. She analyzed them and gave Tori a weird look.

"You're that jerk who ditched my friend." Hailey stated, staring at Shane. "And you're that really popular guy who my friend has a major crush on."

"Yeah, that would be me." Shane ignored the last remark.

"You have a crush on me?" Hunter asked, laughing at Tori.

"Used to." Hailey corrected with a grin. "Every day I had to listen to her whine about Mel and junk. She was so obsessive."

"Yeah well, I think you're hot." Shane blurted out.

"Really?"

"Yeah, did you want to go out sometime?"

"Okay, maybe one day when Tori's working at the diner, do you think we could have a discount?" Hailey asked.

"I'm over my limit for free food giveaways, I think I owe the diner money." Tori joked.

The five friends enjoyed a good meal that night and then grew to love each other even more. They all lived happily ever after and you have to fill in the missing parts yourself, let's just say everything was great and even Dustin found someone to love.


	21. Happy End II

**Happy End II**

Tori walked into the diner the next year after starting University, Hailey changed and moved in with Tori anyways, even though it was quite cramped. She took her brother's old room. Tori was getting paid a bit more since the new girl began her work. Hailey was given Tori's old job and Tori was promoted to Manager's Assistant. Rhonda lowered the prices of most of the food seeing as she liked the diner for the people, not the money. When the prices went down, the customers went up.

After classes when Tori and Hailey walked up to the front counter, and pulled on her blue apron, Rhonda changed the colour scheme, pink was not on her good side those days, the boys walked in, laughing and joking around with Dustin's new girlfriend Bridget. The workers voted on blue but they didn't have to wear it if they didn't want to.

"What can I get you guys for today?" Tori smiled as she walked over to the counter, dragging her feet part of the way.

"Water, no carbs, no fat and no sugar." Bridget joked she heard every possible story Tori ever went through.

"Now that I can put on the house." Tori joked back. "I think."

"I remember that day." Shane stated as Hailey joined the talking group.

"Yeah, the day you broke Mel's nose." Hailey high-fived Tori.

"That was you?" Hunter asked with a shocked expression.

"Oh yeah, guess she never told you." Dustin smiled.

"Yeah, guess my aim was better than I thought." Tori grinned. "Way better."

"And you didn't even try." Hailey laughed.

"That I did." Tori looked at her, with a smirk.

"Man, why couldn't you have taught me these skills when I needed them?" Dustin whined.

"You knew." Hailey interrupted.

"Bro, way to hold out on me." Hunter whined.

"Oh yeah, so much for that." Shane joked.

Tori looked away and Hailey looked with her. They whispered to each other and started to laugh. Bridget laughed too, having a feeling she knew what they were saying. The guys just looked at them clueless, having no idea what they were talking about. They all looked back to the table and waited for the next move. Hailey threw out her change from tips, just the coins. Tori was soon to follow and Bridget threw out her pocket full of change.

"What's this for?" Shane asked.

"Rhonda's birthday is tomorrow and we were putting our money together to get her something really nice." Hailey answered.

"Alright, let's see, what's in my pocket today?" Hunter asked himself.

"Is this like a game, what's in the pocket, reach in to find out?" Dustin joked.

"I got a paperclip, a button, a stick of gum-"

"Thanks." Dustin grabbed it and Hunter continued.

"A picture of...my girlfriend, a fuzz ball, piece of lint and about ten bucks in change."

"Shane, Dustin?" Hailey evil eyed them.

"This is good if you don't have anything." Tori added.

"Hold on, I got about seven something in change, you bro?" Dustin asked.

"Five." Shane laughed a bit.

Tori gathered it up and threw it in her pocket. She returned behind the counter and then walked back over with the drinks. She sat on the edge of the booth, beside Bridget and Hailey sat on the other edge of the booth, beside Dustin.

"Now, what to buy." Tori smiled deviously.

"How about a new diner girl?" Hunter joked.

"Why?"

"It was a joke, I'm sure you're the best waitress this place has ever had." Hunter lied.

"I am but I think it's time I found a real job, like after I graduate."

"You're just going to leave me here all alone. With no food or shelter?" Hailey whined.

"I provide that, I could be like the halfway house of the neighbourhood, I've got a misplaced pro rider who's too sissy to stand up to his dad and a girl who's too afraid to go to Michigan for fear of being alone. I used to be just like that and now look who I am." Tori smiled.

"A waitress in a diner that likes the people more than making money?" Shane asked.

"Yeah, always was and always will be." Tori stated proudly.

She went back to work, Hailey following her. She worked in the diner until she graduated, then she found a job in the field that she had as her major. Her and Hunter still lived in her house but Hailey moved out and down the street. Dustin and Bridget were on the verge of breaking-up at one point but they worked it out and then moved into a house on the other side of town. Shane lived in Hailey's basement for a while until he found a room upstairs he fixed up. They all stayed friends, forever and always but now you can fill in the rest of the divets yourself.


End file.
